Two Paths Collide
by ginny.Pottr1993
Summary: Gothel is dead and Rapunzel and Eugene can finally be together. So...what comes next? Will Eugene have to impress the Kingdom in order to win their favor so he can marry Rapunzel or will he give up and go back to his old ways as Flynn Rider? Will the pressure get too much for him? Find out in my story...I do not own the rights to Tangled. Written from both Rapunzel & Flynn's P.O.V
1. The Party

**Rapunzel**

The party was in full swing and it had been for three whole days already. Although I was enjoying spending time meeting the people and getting to know my parents, I wasn't sure what lay in store for myself and Flynn, or should I say, Eugene? It was the strangest thing…I didn't know what to call him anymore. It was as if since the moment they had arrived at the palace, all I could do follow everybody else's instructions.

After being on the run from Mother Gothel in the last few weeks, it felt strange to not be free. But I supposed being a Princess that I had to price to pay. It wouldn't be all so easy! I ate every morning at eight, then had to be ready to go outside and greet more and more people my parents wanted me to meet. I hadn't complained, but by the fourth day it was getting rather tiresome, and all I wanted to do was sit with Eugene and asked him what was on his mind. I had thought I'd known him pretty well up until now. Even though he was living in the palace a few bedrooms away from me, I barely saw him at all. It was annoying, to say the least.

It was the fourth morning of the party and guests and people practically lining up to see the lost princess. Rapunzel had had just about enough. When she was getting fitted with the perfect outfit after breakfast, her mother came in and smile, "Oh my dear, pink really is the perfect color on you." I smiled in embarrassment, "Thanks mom. Can I ask you a question though?" She nodded and replied, "Of course, dear. Ask away!"  
I smiled timidly before asking, "Is there any chance I can spend some time with Eugene today?" My mom frowned. She got confused when I called him Eugene. And then she twigged, "Ah! You mean Flynn? Sure honey! I'm sorry it's been so busy. The people have been wanting to meet you as long as we have!" The first day I'd returned I'd been able to spend every minute of it with my parents. I was extremely happy about that and Eugene and I had told them about how we met and our adventure.

Since then, it had just been a whirlwind of chaos and every day I had to sit the lobby of the castle meet hundreds upon hundreds of people. My mother checked her diary, "We could do lunch…oh no you're meeting Prince Windsor…or maybe dinner…no that's when you have to make an appearance the royal theatre…" I gasped in surprise, "The royal theatre?" My mother nodded, "We're going to a production of _Beauty and the Beast._ Flynn is of course welcome!" I frowned and said, "Mother, what I mean by alone time is just me and Eugene without anyone else."

My mother sighed and asked the tailor who had just stuck a needle in my hip by mistake and I said, "Ow!" in response. She apologized profusely and my mother asked her, "Dear Susan, would you mind please leaving us alone for a moment?" Susan nodded and scuttled out of the room. My mother pulled me to her and gave me a hug as she whispered, "My darling, being a princess comes with these kinds of sacrifices unfortunately. You won't always be able to do what you want to do and when you want to do it."  
I sighed and nodded, "I know, mom. I just…I think I just need to speak to Eugene. He's barely spoken to me since we got here and I feel like I don't know if he still feels that way about me." My mother sat down on the bed with me and giggled, "Oh he most certainly does dear. The way he looks at you during meals and such…I think he's in love with you."

I smiled briefly and said, "I think…I hope so. I just need him to confirm it and with everything that's been going on, I just haven't had the time." My mother smiled kindly, "I know dear. But he will wait for you I promise you. The only thing is…your father isn't so keen about him." I frowned and whispered, "Why? He returned me when nobody else could!" My mother nodded, "It's this silly issue of him not being a royal…"

I rolled my eyes and huffed in irritation, "Well I don't plan on marrying anyone else anytime soon! At least I _know_ Eugene!" My mother nodded in sympathy, "I know my dear. I'm trying to convince him otherwise. Your father is like most men and can be very stubborn." I rolled my eyes, "Tell me about it." She smiled softly and then I gasped, "Is _that_ why he's making me meet all this prince's during my free lunch hour that I could actually be spending with Eugene?!" I snapped and I instantly felt bad. I'd never gotten angry with my parents before, but this all felt a bit much.

My mother nodded ashamedly, "I'm sorry darling. I told him you love Eugene and he can see that, but he insists that there's no harm in trying…" I shook my head and lifted my hands up in the air in frustration, "I don't want anyone else except Eugene!" My mother couldn't even look at me and I decided to leave the room. I couldn't bare this conversation anymore. I was supposed to go downstairs and meet the people in a half hour, my dress wasn't fitted yet but I couldn't give a toss.

I opened the door and found Eugene and Susan eavesdropping outside…

 **Eugene:**

The door opened and I found the girl of my dreams glaring angrily at me and Susan. I grimaced, uncertain of what to say. I knew was furious though by that look on her face…she could kill. I didn't blame her after the conversation I just heard. I smiled meekly, "Hey Rapunzel." She pulled my arm away from her bedroom door and I half expected her to yell at for eavesdropping.  
Instead, she yanked me down the passageway to where my bedroom was further down the corridor, without saying a word. This made me nervous. Instead, she slammed me against the door once inside and began kissing me furiously. I smiled against her lips…knowing it was the pent-up frustration from the last few days that was getting to her.

She sighed and that sigh I felt like I was on fire. She trailed her hands down my chest and I smiled happily. Then there was a knock on the door and she sighed as her mother said worriedly, "Rapunzel dearest?" I laughed as she pushed her lips against mine like she didn't care. I felt the door opening behind me and she whispered, "Don't…you…dare…move."

I chuckled at her naughtiness but I didn't want to make her mother have more reason to dislike me so I quickly moved aside. She practically growled and her mother walked in gracefully as if she hadn't just been banging on the door. Queen Arianna grimaced at her daughter and I smiled, "Should I give you two some privacy?"  
The queen shook her head, "No, Flynn. Thank you. I guess I should talk to the two of you together." She sighed and gestured for us to sit on the bed. She pulled from the dresser and came and sat down opposite the bed. Queen Arianna looked at both of us and then sighed, "Clearly keeping the two of you apart isn't going to happen." Rapunzel shook her head, but I just stared at the floor and said nothing. This was it. This was the moment she was going to tell me that I couldn't be with her daughter because I was a thief and not a prince. She had been nice until now, but I had feared that my expiry date was looming, which is why I had kept my distance from her daughter.

Queen Arianna surprised me and said, "So I suggest we find a way to solve this problem." Rapunzel practically beamed and got up to hug her mother, "Oh mom! Thank you!" Her mother got her to sit down and sighed, "It's not going to be easy trying to convince your father my dear. He's set in the old fashioned mindset. But Flynn, this is going to be your issue. You're going to have to prove to my husband that you are worthy of being the future king. You see, it will be even more tricky because you'll be king through marriage, not blood. That's highly unusual."  
I was so shocked I could only flounder around like a goldfish. She smiled at me kindly and said, "It's not going to be _impossible_ , you're just going to have to work hard. If you want to be with my daughter enough, you will." Rapunzel interrupted her in protest and gasped in exasperation, "Mom! He's already done more than most people! He's bought me back to you. Isn't that enough?"

I swallowed hard. Queen Arianna nodded and smiled, "To me it is. But you not only have to convince my husband, you have to convince the whole kingdom, Flynn. It's going to be a mammoth task, and one that you're going to have to put your heart and soul into. You already have your reputation against you so it's going to be doubly hard. Are you willing to try though?"

I glanced at Rapunzel and I saw her exasperated expression. I knew that my heart wanted her more than anything in the world, but my mind was going all Flynn Rider on me and telling me it wasn't worth it. It was a battle between my head and my heart. Eventually I let my heart decide as I murmured softly, "Of course my Queen. I'm going to try my best to convince everyone that I am worthy of your daughter." The queen beamed, "Perfect! Now, Rapunzel, you need to go and finish dressing my dear or you'll be late!"

Rapunzel got up, kissed me again on the cheek and hurried out of the room. The queen turned to me and said softly, "I know how much you care for her, Flynn. But you've got to think about that every time someone deters you from your path. There will be many who try. You've just got be strong enough." Then she surprised me by hugging me. I smiled and when she pulled away I whispered, "Thank you. For believing I can do it." She grinned and said, "Prove me right."

 _A/N: Hi all! So this is my first Tangled fanfiction! Hope you guys enjoy it! Pretty please let me know what you think in the reviews! Thank you!_


	2. Lifestyle or love?

**Rapunzel:**

Finally, after five days of non-stop partying and festivities and meeting countless princes's I got a moment to relax. Eugene had accompanied me to every event since he had had that chat with my mother. It was a Friday evening so quite frankly it couldn't have come at a better time. I was beyond exhausted and I all I wanted to do was sit with Eugene and watch a movie. However, when the time came, I couldn't find him anywhere.

I'd looked in his room, in the dining hall, in the kitchen, in the living room. _Everywhere_! Finally I reached the library which I'd wanted to spend time exploring but hadn't had a second to spare. I heard voices echoing from inside. The door was open ajar and I heard my father's voice. He was speaking in hushed tones with my mother. However, the library was so vast that his voice echoed around, "I don't know about him…Arianna! How do we not know that he's not in it for the money? Or the fame? I went to the _Snugly Duckling_ a week or so ago for business purposes and overheard one of the thugs speaking about him. They were speaking about how his dream was to have enormous piles of money."

Her mother was silent for a minute before saying, "How would they know, Frederic?" Suddenly I felt a tap on my back and saw Eugene behind me. He smiled and then I placed my hand over his mouth before he could say anything. His eyes widened in surprise as my father continued, "Because remember Rapunzel told us that she had been at the _Snugly Duckling_ with the boy. They have her best interests at heart there. They don't think he's any good."  
Eugene's face fell and I bit my lip as my mom continued slowly, "Dear, it doesn't matter what they think. She loves him." I couldn't believe my mother had just said that I _loved_ Eugene to my dad! I hadn't even told _Eugene_ yet! Mom and I had discussed it the other day, during one of my dress fittings. She had blatantly asked so I had blatantly answered. I put my head in my hands in embarrassment and removed my hand from Eugene's mouth. I heard my dad's angry voice echo, "Of course it matters what they think, Arianna! They're _thugs_ and if they don't think he's good enough for my daughter, then neither does the rest of the kingdom!"

I grimaced, not liking the way my father was generalizing about my friends in the bar. My mother whispered, "Dear, you don't even know them. One of them went on to become the most famous concert pianist! He played at the festival the other day and was actually the talk of the town!" I heard my father grumble something unintelligent under his breath.

I turned to Eugene and gestured my head towards the main doors. He merely nodded and I could see he was hurt about my father's accusations against him. I said once we were safely outside, "I've been looking for you _everywhere_! Where were you?" He shrugged his shoulders, "Taking a ride with Maximus. I needed to get out of the palace."

I nodded and sighed, "Understandable. I'm so sorry about my father." Eugene shrugged and tried to act like he wasn't fazed by it, but I knew it was troubling him. I sighed, "You're not going to admit that it bothers you, are you?" He sighed and threw his hands in the air in exasperation, "I'm sorry! I don't know what I'm supposed to say! How am I supposed to react when the girl I love is the princess and I'm nothing but a common _thief_ , who by some mercy has not been arrested yet? I can't provide for you. You deserve someone so much better than me!"

I'd never been angry with Eugene. Never. But now he was pushing some very sensitive buttons, "EXCUSE ME! You just said you can't provide for me! You make me _happy_ Eugene! How could you say that! Stop being so self-deprecating! It's extremely unattractive!" I paused mid-step as we were about to go into the maze of hedges in front of us, "Did…did you just say you love me?"

He smiled and shrugged, "Maybe." I virtually tackled him then and pulled him inside of the maze so that no-one could see us. I needed some privacy so that I could kiss this beautiful man in front of me. I was leaning against the massively, tall hedges and I kissed him like my life depended on it. He held my waist, but his hands began moving up my back. I whispered hoarsely against his lips, "I love you too." He pulled away briefly and whispered, "So what your mom said was true?" I nodded and pushed my now very short hair aside behind my ear and whispered, "Mom asked me on the second day after I'd returned. She said she could just tell."

Eugene nodded and brushed my cheek with his hand, "That obvious, huh?" I giggled and nodded briefly before sighing, "I'm sorry you think you won't be able to provide for me. I hope you know that I don't care about that. Even if I wasn't a princess and I was only just Rapunzel I still wouldn't care about that. You make me happy, Eugene, and it's something I haven't felt in a long, long time."

He smiled then I wondered if I had managed to convince him. Then we continued walking through the maze, hand in hand in silence. We were lost in our own thoughts. I had barely had time to even explore the extensive garden yet, let alone the whole palace. I walked and I fantasized about a future we might have.

I glanced at him shyly and commented, "I've noticed you have been more present at important celebrations and such." He shrugged and then wrapped a hand around my waist, "Yes. I have to make a good impression, you know." I wrapped my arm around his waist too and then I saw the massive fountain in the middle of the maze.

I grinned at him and said, "You know what we should do? Bring a picnic here one day on a day off and then we can hide in here where no one can find us!" He chuckled and we sat down beside each other, leaning against the hedge walls and staring at the fountain. It had too people dancing in a massive statue in the centre. I smiled when I got up, walked around and realized it was my mother and father.

I hadn't realized Eugene getting up behind me and he commented, "Hey! Look here! It's you!" A slightly smaller fountain at the exit path of the hedge stood there. It had a baby, with big eyes and long wavy hair. It had a plague on it that read, " _The Lost Princess. Forever in our hearts_." It made me sad and I shook my head, "How did they cope for all those years not knowing where I was?" Eugene grimaced and whispered, "I don't know, dear. They should really change the words though. Don't want to give people the wrong impression." I laughed and then I jumped when I heard the phone ringing in the pocket of my skirt.

My parents had given it to me on the second day of my return. The caller name was "Mom," and I sighed as I pressed the green phone, "Hi mom!" She said worriedly, "Where are you darling? We're about to eat dinner! Its sunset and you know we don't like you out after dark alone!" I rolled my eyes, "Mom I'm not alone! I'm with Eugene!"

I heard her talking to my father and placed my hand on my hip irritably. Of course he was the one worried! Mom spoke patiently, "Dearest you better come inside anyway. Food is about to be served." I nodded and said, "We'll be there shortly." I hung up then and I sighed, "Come on, we better be heading back."

 **Eugene:**

As I sat across the table from King Frederic and Queen Arianna, I felt so awkward and out of place. The dining room was _gigantic_ with massive windows that shone huge amounts of light in the room and the table was so long it could probably seat thirty people. And I was told this was the _informal_ dining room! They also had another one for very important guests such a royalty and nobility.

We had soup for starters (butternut, thankfully). I wasn't sure what to say or how to act after overhearing the King and Queen's conversation earlier. It was clearly still very awkward between them and I knew Rapunzel could also sense the tension. Queen Arianna asked, "Did you two have a nice walk in the garden?" Rapunzel shrugged, "We did thanks. Until we were told to come back." I cringed. She wasn't usually so full of attitude!  
I stared at my soup as I dipped a bread roll into it. I didn't know what was going on with her. Why was she being so _defensive_ towards her mother? King Frederic clearly wasn't happy with her response as he replied, "Excuse me Rapunzel, but where is that _attitude_ of yours coming from?!" Rapunzel shrugged and muttered grumpily, "Maybe, the fact that I don't get a moment _alone_ with my boyfriend?"

King Frederic was not a man to be messed with from what I could gather. He liked things his way and if they didn't happen his way well he didn't react very well. This was one of those moments and he growled, clutching his cutlery tightly, "Not _everything_ is about that boyfriend of yours, Rapunzel!" I grimaced and stopped eating, losing my appetite. Queen Arianna snapped, "Frederic! Let it go!" He grumbled under his breath and I whispered, "I better go and…uh…see how Maximus is doing. I'm sure he needs more carrots."  
I got up to leave but I felt a tugged on my arm and she whispered, "Don't go…" I shook my head, feeling that I didn't want to be the cause of even more family feuds. I smiled briefly, "I'll be back after dinner, promise." Rapunzel frowned, "But what will you eat?" I shrugged I whispered, "I'll sort myself out. Don't worry."  
Her big green eyes were pleading with me but I had to leave before things got worse than they already were. Her father hated me and he had a right to. I was most wanted thief in the kingdom and now I was dining with the royal family. This wasn't how it worked or should work. I sighed and walked down to the stables where I knew Max would be waiting. For about the thousandth time that week, I contemplated jumping on his back and leaving. Palace life was no life for me- for someone who wanted to be free to do as he wished.

I found Max where I'd left him and fed him a carrot, "Hey Bud. How's it been?" I asked. He grunted as he chewed and I nodded, "Know what you mean. This palace living is hard." I heard voices and knew they were arguing again. I felt awful for causing so much tension in their family and it was only their first week reunited!

I said to Max, "I'm really considering leaving. For Rapunzel's sake." Max grunted in disagreement and I replied, "She deserves so much better! She deserves one of the princes who come to sweep her off her feet. She deserves to be looked after. And she deserves someone her father approves of. That's not me." Max rolled his eyes and Eugene sighed "Hey, don't judge! You're not in my position."

I gave Max another carrot and minutes later there was a knock on the barn door. Queen Arianna stood there and she asked nervously, "Flynn…I'm so sorry about my husband's behavior." I shrugged and smiled briefly, "He's right though. I'm no good for her." The queen sighed and whispered, "I wish you could see how mistaken you are, my dear." I turned to the queen and sighed, "I'm never going to manage to convince some people that I am worthy of her. There will always be those that doubt and wonder." Queen Arianna smiled unhappily, "Like yourself? Are you always going to doubt it?"

I bit my lip before responding, "No, I don't doubt that I love her. I just doubt that we can make our two very different lifestyles work. I mean…I am a thief after all." I smiled blandly at the queen and she smiled back, "I understand. But you have to decide what's more important here…my daughter, or your preferred lifestyle." I nodded and whispered, "You're right. I must decide." She smiled blandly at me and whispered, "I'm hoping you choose my daughter. I really am. I want to prove my husband wrong about you, Eugene." It was the first time she had called me by my proper name and I wondered if she had done it on purpose as she looked me knowingly in the eye, before turning away.


End file.
